Oh What A Tangled Web
by Mouse95
Summary: Lies we all tell them most of us everyday. But what happens when the complex web of lies JJ has weaved starts to come undone.
1. Chapter 1

**Mount Horizon High School 2001**

Peter Scarbrow sat in his office waiting on the Cliff Hangers to join him. It was the day after graduation and they were all leaving today to start their adult life's. Peter was glad they were all still together so they could lean on each other after Peter broke the news to them. A knock on the door startled Peter from his thoughts.

"Come in," Peter called.

Sophie Becker the Cliff Hangers counselor opened the door and led the rest of the Cliff Hangers in to the office.

"Come in and have a seat guys," Peter said.

"Why so serious Peter? I know we're not in trouble," Auggie joked.

"Sof would you mind bringing in some chairs for the hallway please?" Peter asked.

Sophia nodded her head not trusting her voice.

"Uh oh It's never good when they tell you to sit down," Daisy said.

"Do you always have to be so morbid? Juliette asked.

"Have to be no. But the look on your face makes it all worth it," Daisy replied.

"Give it a rest you two," Peter said.

"What's wrong Peter?" Kat asked. Kat had graduated the year before. But was now attending a local college and working part time as a consoler at Horizon.

"As you all know Shelby left yesterday morning right after graduation. This morning I received a phone call from the Billings police department," Peter said.

"Don't tell me she's been arrested already it's barely been twenty-four hours since graduation," Ezra joked.

"Shut up and let Peter finish," Scott snapped, feeling the tension in the room.

"There's no easy way to say this so I just say it I'm so sorry but Shelby's gone," Peter said watching their faces.

Six young uncomprehending stared back at him.

"Do you mean like dead that kind of gone?" Ezra asked.

"Yes Ezra I do," Peter answered

"If this is some kind of joke it isn't funny," Scott said, standing up.

"Scott you know I don't joke about things like this. Now sit down," Peter said.

"How? How'd it happen?" Scott asked, his voice cracking with emotion.

Scott was trying to pace but the extra chairs were taking up what extra room was in Peter's office.

"Scott sit down," Peter ordered.

"I don't want to sit down. I want to know how Shelby died. No one hurt her did they? Because if they did I'll…"

"No there was a bad car wreck the gas tank of the cab Shelby was in ruptured and somehow ignited. The cabbie remembered Shelby telling him that's where she graduated from and that's how they were able to contact us," Peter explained

"Well maybe it' not her. I mean doesn't someone have to identify the body? " Scott asked

"Scott there was nothing left to indentify," Peter answered.

**Present Day BAU Head Quarters**

JJ stood in front of the team showing them pictures of the damage the bomber had done on their newest case.

" So far this unsub as blown up three cabs killing six people, caused a small explosion on a public bus killing two and injuring four others. The local FBI thought they had the unsub until this happened," JJ switched the picture to a burned out school bus.

J.J. heard Garcia gasp.

"How many," Morgan asked.

"Thankfully none the bus was empty but the unsub promised it wouldn't be next time," JJ answered.

"Okay people wheels up in ten minutes," Hotch said standing.

J.J. felt a knot forming in her stomach as she put on her jacket. Of all the places in the world why did it have to be Billings Montana. Billings was were J.J. had been born and she hadn't been back in seven years.

"Are you ok?" Reid asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Yeah I'm fine," J.J. said, with a smile.

"Come on we'd better get a move on," JJ said picking up her ready bag and patting Reid's arm.

Reid followed JJ out to the jet. JJ turned and smiled at Reid who blushed and smiled back shyly.

'_He's just like a puppy so sweet and innocent. While at the same time he has just as many demons as I do," _JJ thought.

" I was wondering if you two were going to join us " Morgan said, when JJ and Reid walked in.

JJ shot Morgan a dirty look while she buckled her seat belt.

Thirty minutes into the flight Reid was telling the team more about serial bombers than anyone person should know. JJ could tell Dave was trying hard not to show his aggravation. Morgan was looking mused JJ wasn't sure if it was at Dave's almost comical attempt at restraint or Reid's seemingly endless stream of information. JJ was pretty sure that Prentiss was asleep with her eyes open. JJ hadn't seen her blink in at least ten minutes. Hotch had his usual expessless mask firmly in place. JJ wondered not for the first time what demons lay beneath the emotionless façade. JJ realized that she had totally tuned out everything and she had know idea what was going on. JJ felt a blush creeping up her neck when she realized everyone was looking at her.

"Did you have a nice trip?" Morgan asked.

"What?" JJ asked confused.

"He asked if you had a nice trip. Because you weren't with us," Rossi said.

"Sorry," JJ said, blushing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so very very much to everyone who reviewed you have no idea how much it means to me.**

JJ did the only thing she could thing to do she punched the creature square in the jaw. JJ tried to run but something thing grabbed her from behind and pinned her arms to her sides.

"JJ wake up," a voice said in her ear.

JJ's eyes snapped open and it took her a minute to realize where she was. Looking around JJ saw Reid sitting on the floor looking confused and a large bruise already forming on his jaw. Morgan was knelt down talking to him. JJ felt her knees turn to jelly and the next thing she knew she was face to face with Hotch. He had scooped her up as easily as he would Jack.

'_I knew Hotch was strong but I never realized how well developed his muscles are. It must be the dress shirts he wears that hides his muscles. Oh my God this is Hotch what am I thinking,"_ JJ wondered.

Hotch carried JJ back to the couch and gently laid her down.

"How are you feeling?" Emily asked.

"Embarrassed," JJ answered.

"That must have been one hell of a nightmare. You sent Reid to the floor with one punch," Rossi said.

JJ felt herself recoil on the inside.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Emily asked.

"No it was stupid it had something to do with monsters," JJ said, blushing.

Hotch still hadn't said anything but he was studying her like a suspect.

"How's Reid?" JJ asked.

"I'm fine," Reid said, sitting on the end of the couch holding an ice pack on his jaw.

"Oh Reid I'm so sorry," JJ said, gently removing the icepack and looking at the bruise that was already starting to form on Reid's jaw.

"Why don't you close your eyes and try to get some rest we still have an hour left in the flight," Emily said.

"I don't think so," JJ said. "Would you please hand me the case file?"

"Time to wake up."

"I don't want to," JJ mumbled, pulling the covers over head.

"Come on Shelby you're going to be late again and Sophie's going to have a cow," Juliette said.

"Tell Sophie I'm surfing the crimson wave and I have really bad cramps," Shelby said, burrowing deeper under the covers.

"JJ wake up."

JJ blinked and opened her eyes from the look on Prentiss face she had done it again.

' _I must have said something I shouldn't have_._ For all I know I might have just blabbed my entire life story.'_ JJ thought panicked.

'_Would that really be so bad,'_ whispered a little voice in JJ's head. _'Do you really think they'd turn their back on you. Look at these people Reid is a recovering drug additic, Morgan was sexually molested as a teenager and who knows what secrets Hotch, Prentiss and Rossi were hiding.' _

"Another dream?" Rossi asked

"Yeah what did I say?" JJ asked.

"You told me to tell someone named Sophie you were "Surfing the crimson wave and had cramps real bad and couldn't come," Emliy said.

JJ felt herself turning red. "Wow how embarrassing I was dreaming about the camp I went to as a teen Sophie was my counselor," JJ said.

"We all have nightmares JJ you know we're here if you need us," Hotch said.

An agent from the local FBI met them at the gate. She was a small woman with an olive complecion brown hair and brown eyes.

"Agent Hotchner?" the woman asked walking up to Hotch.

Hotch nodded and the woman stuck out her hand.

"I'm agent Delvin It's nice to meet you," agent Delvin said, shaking Hotch's hand.

" We're certainly glad you're here we had two more bombings while you were reroute. One was a crowded public bus and the other was a high school activity bus carrying the marching band from a local high school. So far the death toll for both incidents is twelve," agent Delvin said.

"Morgan Reid you go to the public city bus bombing site. Dave and I will go to the site of the school bus bombing. JJ you go back to head quarters with agent Delvin and prepare a press release." Hotch said

"Agent Friedkin," agent Delvin started.

"What?" JJ asked knowing her voice gave away her surprise.

"Agent Ezra Friedkin he's lead on the case," agent Delvin said

'_It can't be no way it's the same guy. How many people could there be with that name? I am so screwed,"_ JJ thought.

Emily noticed how pale JJ had gone and gently touched her elbow.

"Are you ok?" Emily whispered.

"Yeah fine," JJ whispered, trying to smile.

'_I'm so screwed,'_ JJ thought again.

"Ok where going to go to the local FBI headquarters and get briefed on the latest bombings and then will bomb sites," Hotch said.

JJ's stomach was in knots as they headed toward the local FBI headquarters in the rented SUV's. A time or two JJ thought she was going to throw up all over the back of Reid.

JJ was thankful Ezra wasn't in the bull pen when they arrived. But the pictures on Ezra's desk squashed any hopes JJ had that it was a different man.

JJ found herself entranced by the pictures on Ezra's desk. Ezra's and Daisy's wedding photo. A family picture Ezra, Daisy and three small children two girls and a boy. A picture of Kat, Hank and a little boy that looked about four. A picture of Jules, Auggie and a little girl. And the picture that made JJ drop her files Scott and some woman JJ had never seen before with two children a boy who looked just like Scott and a little girl.

When JJ stood up she was face to face with Ezra.

**Please let me know what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch. 3**

**I hope you enjoy let me know.**

Ezra stood there staring into the blue eyes. The blue eyes of a supposedly dead person. He knew those I eyes he and that face he had dreamed about both a million times when he was a teenager.

'_Come on Friedkin you_ _can't just stand here staring people will think you're crazy. Maybe I am crazy I'm staring at a dead person. Say something Freakin wow I haven't thought about that in years'. _

"Are you Shelby Merrick?" Ezra asked.

'_Wow my voice didn't crack or anything' _Ezra thought.

'_I'm already screwed I might as well tell the truth,'_ JJ thought.

Then found that her voice wouldn't work so she shook her head yes.

Ezra stood there frozen he had know from the moment he saw her who she was but to have her admit it so easily just about floored Ezra. He had expected a lie or maybe some kind of stalling technique what he hadn't expected was for to just tell the truth.

'_I've got to say something anything,'_ Ezra thought.

So he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"You lying scank bitch. The ice queen has returned," Ezra said, watching the tears roll down JJ's face and he felt nothing.

"Whoa wait just a minute pal," Morgan said, stepping between JJ and Ezra.

"I'm not your pal pal," Ezra said spitting the word out like it was poison. "Now move."

"Not going to happen," Morgan said.

"No you know what that's fine as long as I can hear Shelby's lies," Ezra said, moving where he could see JJ.

Emily had put her arm around JJ and JJ was crying on her shoulder.

"Come on lie to me Shelby because honestly the truth is more than I can handle. Nothing? I know I'll give you some and you can just nod or grunt or whatever when I get to one you like. Ok let's see oh I know. You've had amnesia these last seven years and you forgot how to use the phone. No that's not it uh how about this one. The cab explosion was really a mob hit. So the FBI figured there was no safer place to keep you then within its own ranks. No not that either uh. Oh this has to be it you were abducted by aliens. Well you where being held captive let me tell you what happened to your so called family," Ezra said, pulling a picture from the bottom of one of his desk drawers and pointing to Scott.

"Scott the man you said you loved. It took Peter three months to find him and then guess where he found him? Oh you're going to love this in a crack house in New York with a needle sticking out of his arm. He almost died and he never was the same again he never was truly happy again until he met Susan. I bet it just kills you that Scott found someone else and is happy," Ezra said, with a sneer.

"Scott," JJ sobbed.

"You might as well forget about him sweetheart. I'm not letting you anywhere near any of my family that includes Peter and Sophie," Ezra growled. "I'm the one who had to watch while the girls cried so hard they got sick. I'm the one who had to watch them suffer and shared their pain."

"It was an accident," JJ said, through the sobs.

"It was an accident," Ezra mocked. "How do you accidently forget to pick up a phone for seven years?" Ezra asked suddenly throwing the picture at JJ's feet, making her and Emily squeal and jump back.

"This is what you did to our family," Ezra said, stomping on the picture and grinding he's heel into to it.

"Alright let's take a step back and catch our breaths," Hotch said, putting his hand on Ezra's shoulder.

Ezra jerked away as tears filled his eyes.

"Come on Ez let's go somewhere private and talk," agent Delvin said.

Ezra shot JJ one more killer look and then let himself be led from the bull pen.

Reid got a chair for JJ to sit down and Hotch sat down across from her.

Hotch handed JJ a handful of tissues and then he gently reached out and brushed her hair from her face.

"We need to talk and I need the truth JJ," Hotch said.

**Okay it's a little short but that's where my muse wanted to leave it so what could I do.**

**Please let me know what you think.**


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